Latest / Ducks Unlimited Podcast / ASCEND: Carrying in the Field: How Women Stay Safe, Confident, and Prepared Outdoors (Ep 761)

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ASCEND: Carrying in the Field: How Women Stay Safe, Confident, and Prepared Outdoors (Ep 761) · Ducks Unlimited Podcast

• 0:01
  VO: The following episode of the DU podcast features a video component. For the full experience, visit the Ducks Unlimited channel on YouTube. Subscribe and enjoy.
• 0:11
  VO: Can we do a mic check, please? Everybody, welcome back to the Ducks Unlimited Podcast.
• 0:15
  VO: Attention, listeners. We're interrupting your regularly scheduled DU podcast for something big. Introducing the ASCEND Podcast by Ducks Unlimited.
• 0:28
  VO: Welcome to the ASCEND Podcast, a podcast by and for women in the outdoors. Every episode delivers real stories, practical how to's, and a welcoming community to help you start, sharpen, or rediscover your passion for the outdoors. Authentic women, real stories, outdoor adventures, ASCEND. Presented by Ducks Unlimited, the leader in wetlands conservation. Your next adventure starts here, the ASCEND Podcast.
• 1:04
  Don't forget to rate and review the ASCEND podcast. It's the best way to grow the podcast and help other women discover the next step on their outdoors journey.
• 1:13
  Julia Stallings: Welcome back, guys. Today, I'm your host for ASCEND Podcast. If you're new to the channel, welcome. If you are not new and you're just joining us, welcome back. My name is Julia.
• 1:24
  I'm a professional shotgun shooter. Been shooting quite a bit in a while, and I have a giant love and passion for the outdoors. Joining me today is a familiar face in the outdoor industry, Audrey Wikan. Audrey, it's so great to have you on the show. I have a great topic to discuss with you, and I think everyone's really excited for this topic because it's just not a topic people discuss a lot.
• 1:48
  So before I get started, could you introduce yourself a little bit to the audience?
• 1:54
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. Julia, thank you so much for having me. It was such a joy when you had reached out and reconnected. I mean, we met years ago, so it's awesome to see all this come full circle. But, yeah, my name's Audrey.
• 2:05
  I grew up in the outdoors, but just recently have joined the outdoor industry in a role as Drake waterfowl spokeswoman. And so I own a marketing agency where I run social medias, and create content and do UGC, and, I've expanded into becoming Drake's spokeswoman. And so that's a little bit of background, that, you know, hopefully qualifies me to be on this channel, and I'm super excited to dive into our topic today. Awesome. Awesome.
• 2:34
  Thank you so much for that. I'm so glad to
• 2:36
  Julia Stallings: have you a part of this and, you know, your knowledge. You've just been around everything, so I think it's gonna be really, really good insight for our viewers. So like I mentioned, this topic is not talked about enough in the outdoor industry, and I mean, knowing this information literally could save your life. So today, we're gonna be talking about packing heat in the field, what that means, why it matters, and how women are changing that way and safety and responsibility for the outdoors. Getting started.
• 3:06
  Let's kick it off with something easy. Audrey, do you think there needs to be more conversations about concealed carry when you're carrying, like, in the outdoors, like, when you're hunting?
• 3:18
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. Absolutely. And so I guess a little bit more background on who I am. I used to work in the gun industry when I was in college. I worked for Big Daddy Unlimited, which is a gun shop in Central Florida.
• 3:29
  So it was so convenient. It was right there in Gainesville. I went to University of Florida for undergrad and wanted to, yeah, expand my knowledge of not only guns, but marketing in general. And so it was so awesome for me to learn. But in that, I was 19 and 20 years old when I had the position on the marketing team for Big Daddy Unlimited.
• 3:48
  And when actually, before getting the role, they put me in the storefront. And so not headquarters, the storefront. I had to learn how to talk about different firearms and, you know, the talking points. And so it's so funny. When women would come in, they would beeline and write to me.
• 4:03
  I was with a team of much more qualified guys to talk about these firearms, and these women would beeline it to me, because it is it's sometimes scary to walk into something that we don't know a lot about. And then you look around and you look for mentors, you know, who are caring, and then there's not many people. So one of my big passions and especially, like, even working in politics, one of my big passions is, number one, Second Amendment or Second Amendment right, and number two, women being equipped and prepared to carry a firearm, and feel confident doing so. I think it is, yeah, it is scary at first, just like it's scary to go into anything new. But, yeah, I definitely think it needs to be talked about more.
• 4:45
  Back home, I live in Jacksonville, Florida, and back home, I'm always encouraging my girlfriends. Hey. Let's get trained. I think one thing is, I guess,
• 4:54
  Julia Stallings: a little bit of, you know, back back up. It's like,
• 4:56
  Audrey Wikan: it's not just, okay, go buy a gun and put in your car or carry it. It's like, no. Let's, let's go get our training.
• 5:02
  Julia Stallings: Let's feel equipped Yes.
• 5:04
  Audrey Wikan: Prepared, and then let's carry. You know, it's yeah. It's like it's it's being good stewards of our life to, to to walk in protection.
• 5:13
  Julia Stallings: No. That's amazing. I'm so glad you, like, you dated your age. I know that sounds probably bad, but saying that you were very young when you were doing this. I mean, I think right now, though, you know, the way the world's going, I think it's important to train young, train that responsibility, train that education.
• 5:29
  And I'm so glad you brought up, you know, being the woman in the storefront. Yeah. They beeline it to you because you're the person that they're, like, gonna feel most comfortable. They're like, oh, that's my girl right there. I need to go to write her.
• 5:41
  She seems the person.
• 5:43
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. I call my friends too. Like, we're not carrying out of fear. It's not like I'm walking around fearful. You know?
• 5:49
  I mean, the Bible clearly says I mean, the but I think it's 365 times the Bible talks about do not be afraid. So I'm not walking. I'm not caring because I'm walking around in fear. I'm caring because I just wanna be more equipped. I wanna be prepared that if something does happen, I'm prepared to, like, walk boldly into that situation.
• 6:06
  No.
• 6:06
  Julia Stallings: I think you said it literally perfect. Like, so many people are like, oh, you know, I'm so scared. I have to have this. No. You are trained.
• 6:14
  You have the confidence. You're going into it. You feel confident, and that's all that matters is you are gonna be ready if something does happen. I'm not encouraging anything to happen, but you're ready.
• 6:23
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. And you're responsibly stewarding your life. You know? You like, you know, God has entrusted you with a unique life that you wanna steward well. I mean, one of that yeah.
• 6:31
  Especially as a female, I think, you know, I'm all for like, I think men should carry too. You know? Men, like, they're natural protectors. But what if we're alone? I travel so often alone.
• 6:43
  And so and I'm I'm blessed. I have a dad and a brother who protect me all the time, but what if I'm not with them? You know? So when I'm not with them, when I am stopping at gas stations or when I'm carrying or when I'm out in the field alone, I always wanna make sure that I'm walking to any situation knowing that I am covered. Oh my goodness.
• 7:01
  Well, I'm so glad you said
• 7:02
  Julia Stallings: that and brought up your family members because that was, like, my next question. It was like, okay. So did you start caring because maybe a significant other carried first and you were always protected? And when you were, like, going on your trips alone, was it, like, that moment where you're like, oh, man. I need to kinda take responsibility here.
• 7:21
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. That's a great question. I would say I grew up around guns, whether it's pistols, rifles, shotguns. I grew up with my dad and grandfather. We just had guns all around.
• 7:31
  And at a very young age, I learned gun safety. Like, the very basics. Like, okay. Well, don't put your finger on the trigger until you're ready to shoot. Always have your gun, you know, facing a safe direction, etcetera.
• 7:42
  And so growing up, I would say I was always around firearms, but I never watched my dad and grandfather carry. And so that was something a little different going into college and then working in the gun industry. All of my coworkers, they were like, Audrey, it's really important to carry. Mean, my brother's a little bit younger than me, and he is just a manly man. Just a natural protector.
• 8:05
  And when we were in the field, my brother would start carrying his pistol as protection, on our private property in Florida. And then, yeah, it was it's also funny. I was joking earlier today. When I was when I was 20, so working in the gun industry, I was more excited to turn 21 in order to be able to conceal carry than I was to be able to legally go to the bars because, yeah, again, like, people around me, I just didn't really grow up, with people caring. And so I would say and, again, it's really hard.
• 8:33
  It's a hard thing to get into when you're not looking at somebody who's doing it. And so, like, yeah, working in the industry and having so many coworkers who are just so well equipped, who are so encouraging, who really took me under their wing and mentored me, with pistols. Because I, yeah, I didn't grow up at a at a young age shooting pistols, really just rifles and shotguns. So I would say that's my encouragement too to other women who didn't grow up around pistols. Like, you can start it at any time.
• 9:00
  Julia Stallings: No. You're exactly right. You you really can. Do you feel like there's any, like, legal realities right now going on where it kinda hinders people? It kinda makes them cautious to, like, carry a gun and, like, okay.
• 9:13
  Do I wanna get into this? Do I, like do I feel that responsibility? Do you think that holds them back?
• 9:18
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Great question. I think as, you know, as American citizens, like, we have laws in place, a lot of them to protect us. The government literally it's it's supposed to only exist to per protect us. And so when we do look at those laws and say, okay.
• 9:31
  Well, you know, we're not allowed, I guess yeah. So, anyways, I would say going traveling across state lines, it is like, make sure you are checking. You know, are you able to legally conceal carry, or what are those steps? I know that, you know, some states, it's like what is it? The three step rule.
• 9:47
  So you have to you can't carry on your person, but you can have it three steps away from you. So it's making sure that you are equipped going into each state, especially with us who travel on the road so much to know and, you know, do everything legally. In Florida, we live in the freest state in the nation, and I am so blessed for that. Actually, we passed a law to where you don't even have to have a concealed carry license to carry now. I still do highly recommend to get the training, and what comes with concealed carry license and, you know, those permits, but it's no longer we we honor the constitution in passing that, you know, the Second Amendment is enough, you know, to qualify us to carry.
• 10:24
  And so that was a big win for our freedom, especially as firearm enthusiasts. Oh, yeah. No. I think that's
• 10:29
  Julia Stallings: you know, it's a really good point to say, yeah. I'm super glad that we have that freedom. But I'm glad you also mentioned training is really important because I I do feel like it's important, especially, like, not only learning your firearm, but also learning how to draw it because that's extremely important. People, like, get a new holster, and they're like, oh, yeah. I'm just gonna pin the holster, and I'm like, oh, yeah.
• 10:50
  We're good to go. And I'm like, you should probably practice. A situation, I'm like, yeah. That's not gonna go. It's gonna be like, oh, hey, bad guy.
• 10:58
  One second. Let me, like, learn how to
• 11:00
  Audrey Wikan: do this trick. And yeah. And it's like I also too, it's like we bring up the fact, like, you know, us both being around guns all the time, we might still have some differences. And, you know, I prefer a red dot on my everyday carry, and maybe you don't. And so, also, you know, having that time in the field to become comfortable with what you're carrying is just because I say, you know, this is what I carry and this is what I love doesn't mean it's gonna necessarily work for the person next to me.
• 11:24
  For me, for example, I know a lot of, a lot of people when they go to pick up a gun, especially women, they wanna go with the smallest gun possible. And I always I actually say the opposite. Start with a larger gun. You know, it's gonna take that recoil, instead of starting with a small gun. When I first put a small pistol in my hand, the recoil was insane.
• 11:43
  It was so snappy. And so, yeah, having that training on a larger firearm, I actually carry it's a ZEV three sixty five XL, and so it's a little longer, and it I just shoot that so much better than the smaller guns.
• 11:57
  Julia Stallings: No. I I agree with you. I think having starting out with a larger gun or honestly, Glock makes a 22, but in the same platform as your, you know, your typical Glock 19. I think getting that platform and shooting at 22, it helped a lot of people who were really scared to carry it first that I've trained with. I'm like, okay.
• 12:15
  It gets the fear over the recall. It gets the feel of, like, okay. I know how to hold it now. And if you have those steps, you can kinda keep things moving. You're like, okay.
• 12:23
  Now I can understand
• 12:24
  Audrey Wikan: where I'm going here.
• 12:25
  Julia Stallings: Absolutely. Yeah. But you I wanna bring up hunting specifically. You did a lot of fishing as well. Yeah.
• 12:32
  Did you ever carry in the field? I know you mentioned private. Yes. Yes. I have private hunting.
• 12:38
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Most of time, I do carry my everyday carry on my body. I have an appendix holster, and I have a backpack that is awesome. I forgot what I wish I would know the brand that made it. I believe it's Vertex, which has a I think it's Vertex.
• 12:51
  It has a Probability. Yeah. It has it's it's awesome to carry your pistol in it. And so sometimes, like, when I'm, you know, maybe saddle hunting and I don't wanna carry I'm already up in the tree. I don't wanna have my pistol on me, you know, when I'm bow hunting, you know, per se.
• 13:04
  It's in my backpack,
• 13:05
  Julia Stallings: though, so it's easily accessible. No. That's great. That's great. For fishing, do you ever carry anything for protection too?
• 13:12
  I know, like, I'm not a big fisher person just or I don't even know. Fisher person, fisherman, fisherman, fisherman.
• 13:16
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. That works.
• 13:17
  Julia Stallings: No. Person who fishes.
• 13:19
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. We know where you're going with that.
• 13:21
  Julia Stallings: I'm not. Okay. I I don't live around water. I just moved to Louisiana, so we're finally getting some swamp. Like, that's about it.
• 13:28
  But
• 13:29
  Audrey Wikan: Well, I think we
• 13:30
  Julia Stallings: had to put
• 13:30
  Audrey Wikan: a fishing trip on the books then.
• 13:32
  Julia Stallings: I do. You know what? I see all these, like, really cool posts, and everyone's having fun. And I'm like, oh, that'd be really cool to, like, have fresh fish and, like, go on the boat with everybody and just be a great time. But do you carry anything for protection?
• 13:46
  Is there any you know, I mean, would you ever need that on a boat? I don't know.
• 13:50
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Great question. I would say absolutely. Like, we never know what we're getting into. You know, the water is a public ground that everybody can go on.
• 13:58
  And so who knows, you know, what you might run into? So my brother actually, my brother's a charter captain based in Jacksonville. And, yes, like, one of his big things is always being, prepared and protected. And so when I'm with him, sometimes I'm like, oh, just, you know, I'll have you, you know, we're we're in a little landlocked boat, but, I would still say it's it's always good to have. Yes.
• 14:20
  No. That's that's good.
• 14:21
  Julia Stallings: I mean, I wouldn't know. Like, that would be something new out of my realm of expertise to be like, am I supposed to carry on the boat? Can I carry on this boat? Because, obviously, it's water. Right?
• 14:31
  Audrey Wikan: Like Yeah.
• 14:32
  Julia Stallings: Yeah. What's the territory look like on this? Like Yeah. What's the loss? So Those are good.
• 14:36
  No. It's a great question to that out. Yes. Yeah. No.
• 14:40
  And I love how you brought up the fact about your Vertex backpack. Right now, it's so hot to even have the fanny pack holsters where you have that easy sling where you can okay. I can put this on when I'm going in and out of the field. Mhmm. It's super easy to grab, so it's not reconstructing anything, like Mhmm.
• 14:57
  Especially when you have bulky clothing on. Have you ever used one of those slings? It's like a kydex holster. I forget the name or the it's like Alien Gear, I think, makes it. Oh.
• 15:07
  But it's a kydex holster. It's made for runners. A lot of
• 15:10
  Audrey Wikan: runners use it.
• 15:11
  Julia Stallings: But I've seen some people who have gone out west and hunted, and they were like, okay. Clipping it on, Kydex holster. So it's like right here. I'm like, oh, that'd be a little easy access.
• 15:21
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Seriously. I have not personally, but I do follow a ton of accounts on social media, you know, talking about women concealed carrying and all of that when there's so I mean, we have no excuse in today's generation and consumerism. We have there is so many, you know, opportunities to be able to carry and carry comfortably. Like, we really have no excuse not to have, protection on us at all times between yeah.
• 15:46
  Like, what you're talking about. So I actually I think Kydex is the brand that made my custom holster, which is just an awesome, awesome company. But between that and then, yeah, bags, purses. Yeah. And so, yeah, we have absolutely no excuse.
• 15:59
  So this is our encouragement. Everybody needs to needs to be protected. It's just, again, it's a responsible thing to do.
• 16:06
  Julia Stallings: No. I completely agree. I I wish And with how
• 16:09
  Audrey Wikan: and with how crazy the world is becoming, and it's been like this for a long time, you know, just the media, we see it so much more, you know, right in front of our face. And and, you know, the population's increasing. The world is just becoming, you know, a busier place. And yeah. So we have no excuses.
• 16:26
  Julia Stallings: No. Absolute. And I I I feel like as females, right, if we're going hunting and we don't have, like, the quote unquote buddy system, a lot of women have taken it upon themselves to go hunting. I think it's amazing. I think it's like we should do it more.
• 16:38
  I'm not brave enough. I mean, I've dabbled. Right? Yeah. Dabbled in my own property, go hunting by myself, but usually I have a buddy.
• 16:45
  Yeah. Like, I always bring a friend. I'm like, oh, hey. You wanna go hunting? Yeah.
• 16:49
  I do the buddy system, and I'm like, of course, I'll carry because I'm a shooter. You know? Like Yeah. They kinda look at you, they're like, okay. Yeah.
• 16:57
  You got
• 16:58
  Audrey Wikan: it. Like, Chris.
• 17:00
  Julia Stallings: Fall's on me. Don't worry about me, guys. But, yeah, I think it does play a huge role because, you know, we don't know what's gonna be out there. Like, especially animals, but especially other people. I've heard scary stories out there on public land where it's like, oh, man.
• 17:15
  Yeah. You definitely you might need some protection. You might need more than bear spray.
• 17:20
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. Yes. Yeah. That's a great point. I would say, you know, by the by the grace of God, I have not ran into anything, as far as on public land that have really, you know, pushed me back.
• 17:32
  I've been so blessed to meet some of the most incredible humans on public land where I actually feel more safe that they're out there with me hunting the same plot of land than me being out there alone. I really I always say I think hunters are the greatest humans to exist. Not only are they great stewards of the land, their morals are there. You know, they care about other people. I've also met so many people who just wanna, you know, yeah, buddy up and say, hey.
• 17:57
  Come along. I wanna teach you this because I love it so much. I want you to experience this too. And so I think, yeah. So I would say when I'm carrying on public land, I would say my first instinct is normally to protect myself against any predators out there, not per se people.
• 18:13
  But when I'm going into a more populated area, my first thought is I'm protecting against people, not animals. Yeah.
• 18:20
  Julia Stallings: No. I mean, obviously hopefully, I mean, hopefully, you're not running into the bear at the grocery store. You know, I can't speak for Colorado. Yeah. I recently had an encounter where there has been alligators on the highway.
• 18:34
  So I really can't speak to that either. So I guess, yeah, animals are prevalent. But
• 18:39
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. Yeah. Okay. Actually, of bears, I have bears on our property in Florida, and so many people are like, what the heck? They are a it's such a problem.
• 18:49
  And they've been having cubs, like, on our trail cameras and moultrie. I've started running moultrie trail cams, and it captures all of our bears. And I'm like, holy cow. And so what so two turkey seasons ago, I was out there. I was hunting with one of my good friends, and we were calling calling calling calling, and we had a bird fired off, fired off, fired.
• 19:08
  He was fired up, he was coming in. Like, we could tell. I had my phone buzzed, and I was like, oh gosh. I could tell it was the trail cam. I was like, oh gosh.
• 19:15
  I pulled my phone out. It was a bear. It was like a few 100 yards away at one of our, you know, just to the opposing sides where where this bird is coming from. And I was like, oh my gosh. This bear is probably hearing us call, hearing this bird fired up.
• 19:28
  And sure enough, we're like, we're gonna keep hunting this bird like he's on a string coming in. I wound up harvesting that bird that morning. Thank goodness. And I never saw the bear in person that day. But sometimes even driving around the property, we see these bears.
• 19:39
  And I know that we had talked earlier about bear spray. I have not personally used bear spray. And I think that tools, whether it's firearms or bear spray, I think it's not an either or. I think it's good to have both and equipped with both, and I really need to look into carrying that. But until recently, I had I had never thought to.
• 19:59
  Julia Stallings: No. I mean, who would think there's bears in Florida? I mean, I would not. Okay? I guess I'm from Memphis, so we don't really think of bears.
• 20:07
  Right? We think of bears out west or north, far north. And you're like, maybe. Okay. I
• 20:13
  Audrey Wikan: know. Yeah. And, you know, it it's so cool, like, conservation and how the government is tied into that. So we had bear permits actually get dropped this past season. And so I think there was about 250 or 300 permits in the state of Florida that were up, to be able it was a lottery system.
• 20:30
  And I applied for them and, unfortunately, did not get drawn, but these permits went by so fast. It was so quick. And I know it was, probably about ten years ago, 300 bear permits were dropped in the state of Florida, and they were all filled within a day and a half. And so it's like we realized there's more bears in the state of Florida than we think. And so, again, like, I mean, if you're around cubs just like any mom, like, they're gonna be protective over their offspring.
• 20:55
  And so, yeah, it's it's just so important. Yeah. We're always we always may be equipped. That is yeah. That that's the overall message of today.
• 21:04
  Julia Stallings: Yes. No. I mean, for safety, for protection from people, from animals, bears, you know, you need it all. When you're in that case, I mean, what would you prefer? Would you prefer to have a holster, or would you prefer to have it in your backpack?
• 21:17
  I know you mentioned your backpack, but I guess in that case scenario, I mean, I've never I've never been in a bear situation.
• 21:24
  Audrey Wikan: I know. I would say holster, you know, the holster is just so much easier to access, especially when you're walking in and you have so much other stuff going on. I like to appendix carry you walking into the stand and then move it over to my backpack when I actually get there. But walking in, again, who knows? Like, especially with thick woods, I mean, I hunt Florida more than I hunt anywhere else.
• 21:43
  And with those thick woods, with a thick underbrush, I mean, you never know. And so I would say holster appendix carrying is definitely the way to go
• 21:50
  Julia Stallings: in that situation. Oh, I I could not agree more with you. Would you think I think it's important to point out too, You were obviously you know, were you did you have a shotgun or a rifle with you as well?
• 22:01
  Audrey Wikan: I did. Yes. I had a shotgun. In the in the Turkey situation, I had the shotgun with me. Yeah.
• 22:05
  Julia Stallings: So, I mean, if you have your shotgun, I feel like some people are like, oh, well, you have your shotgun to protect you. I don't need, you know, I don't need a pencil. I don't need some additional protection. I feel like it's needed.
• 22:16
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. Yeah. It kinda goes back to, like, that either or situation. It's like, you know, it it always needs to be both. You know?
• 22:22
  It's like, it's not an either or. It's that you might as well like, you know, one thing might work for in in one case and then not in another. And so and it's Why not? Yeah. Exactly.
• 22:33
  Why not? Why not?
• 22:35
  Julia Stallings: Why not? If it could save your life, why not? Yeah. I mean I mean, you'd never wanna look back and be like, I wish I carried both. You know?
• 22:44
  That's not my type of gift.
• 22:46
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Then it's too late. You hear so many stories all the time of I wish I did this, or I wish I did this differently, or I wish I wish I was more prepared. And that comes with, yeah, just guns in general. It's like I always tell women too.
• 22:57
  It's like, golly, like, be confident with the firearm you're carrying. Whether it's a shotgun or a rifle or a bow, it it does not matter. Like, being confident when you and equipped when you walk into the field, you will guarantee I I mean, it's a higher success rate. You're gonna walk out, you know, with with more harvest when you're comfortable with your firearm.
• 23:15
  Julia Stallings: Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. Do you think, you know and I'm just thinking a lot here kind of like, do you think it's hard carrying your, you know, everyday carry across state lines? Like, do you think that actually hinders people?
• 23:29
  Because, like, I know we talked about legal reasons and legalities, and people are okay. Maybe I'm cautious because, you know, criminal and civil defense. If something does happen, I don't wanna get into that. But do you think it's hard going from state to state where, you know, these laws are all different? And Yes.
• 23:45
  You have to abide by them to make sure, you know, one, you're following the rules so you you don't get in trouble or you don't put yourself in trouble versus, you know, like, Florida. It's it's free. Okay. I'm here.
• 23:56
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. I think absolutely. You know, it's so awesome. I mean, the tool of the Internet is in again, like, we have no excuse not to have knowledge, you know, when it comes to carrying firearms. So going to Georgia or even if I came to Louisiana, you know, being able to have it's a quick Google.
• 24:10
  Am I able to carry in Louisiana? And so, you know, again, it it all goes back to, like, how can we better equip ourselves? And it's it's that knowledge. And it's like, it's knowledge with anything. I mean, that goes across all fields.
• 24:23
  Julia Stallings: No. I I agree. Mhmm. Yeah. No.
• 24:26
  Knowledge is power. And I feel like in today's world, like you were mentioning, mean, I you can even use ChatGBT to get yourself an actual, like, state, like, law set book, whatever it is. You know? Go on the state page and see, okay. These are the concealed carry laws.
• 24:40
  These are what I can be, you know, doing. This is what I can't be doing. Yeah. It's very simple. Like, in today's age, it's like, okay.
• 24:48
  You kinda have to be dumb not to do that.
• 24:51
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. And what a gift ChatGBT has been. I think that, you know, some people can abuse it and use it. And, you know, I would say that instead of using their brain, they're relying on chat GBT. But chat GBT can be such a gift when it comes to you know?
• 25:05
  Like, it can even be, okay. I wanna learn how to, you know, better shoot my my pistol over the next six months. Can you give me a plan? You know, can you give me a training program that you would recommend? There's so many tools that we can use to help us, like, better equip ourselves in everyday life.
• 25:22
  I was even talking with some of my friends this morning. They're like, gosh. It even helps us write emails, workout plans. I'm like, golly. I think I need to start using ChatGPT more.
• 25:32
  But, yeah, it
• 25:32
  Julia Stallings: it is awesome. Yes. I definitely agree. I mean, it's so great. I've done workout plans, like, all the time, especially the hotel workout plans because my personal trainer is, like, great for our gym, but I'm like, get to the hotel.
• 25:46
  And I'm like, I don't have that machine here. I have, like, 10 dumbbells, and Yes. Some of them are missing. So please create a workout with what I have.
• 25:57
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. And speaking actually, you kind of, like, steer us into a great direction. Speaking of the gym and being on the road so much, I think a lot of women struggle with keeping a healthy lifestyle at the forefront, especially, yeah, when we're on the road, when we're traveling to hunt or work and whatnot. It's not only being, yeah, a quick, but it's like, how can we how our body is a temple. And if we're treating it like that, if I'm but okay.
• 26:19
  So I guess there's two sides to that. So, yes, I always have, like, go to the gym. Like, we wanna be healthy. We wanna be able to I wanna be able to carry the rest of my life as long you know? And so but also, too, I can go to the gym as much as I possibly can and get, you know, as big of muscles as as my body allows me to, but I am still not going to be able to go up against a man.
• 26:41
  We are just naturally created different. Like, God has blessed us, you know, as women with a nurturing spirit. There's just there's such a divide between men and women. And so it's like, I again, that's another reason why, like, every day carry is so important because I could work out. I could be the in my best shape.
• 26:59
  And if I'm one on one against a guy, he's just gonna be bigger and stronger than me.
• 27:04
  Julia Stallings: I mean, you're you're not wrong. I mean, we struggle with that. I mean, being a woman, you kinda have to take it upon yourself and take that responsibility to make sure you are prepared for, one, outcomes, and two, not to put yourself in that situation. Yes. Like, safety is huge for us because
• 27:22
  Audrey Wikan: It is.
• 27:23
  Julia Stallings: You know, a guy can kinda you know, some big there's some big guys out there, and they can kinda, you know, duke it out a little bit and get away or do something. Me, if I go against a, you know, six foot man, I'm five three on a good day. If my hair is a little humid, you know, humidity is going on Yeah. I'm like, oh, I got an inch. Yeah.
• 27:41
  That's not gonna help me. And the No. No. Help me if, you know, someone's attacking me. If they wanna hurt me, you know, I'm I'm screwed.
• 27:48
  I'm gonna need a little bit of an advantage. Exactly. Having that everyday carry, you know, that's your advantage. Yes. And like you mentioned, it's not just for people.
• 27:56
  It's for animals. It's for certain situations that you might find yourself in that you're like, I did not plan on this. This is not what we had in the cards today, but I need to protect myself. I need to protect my family. I need to protect who's who's hunting with me, like my buddy.
• 28:10
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. Yeah. It's a natural equalizer, and every day carries a natural equalizer, yeah, that can put us up against any any obstacle in front of us.
• 28:19
  Julia Stallings: Yes. Yes. I mean, I feel like hunting, I've not done you know, I need to do a better job of it because I'm always like the buddy who carries. Right? Mhmm.
• 28:28
  I need to teach my people. Like, you know, people, hey. I need you to have backup, so, obviously, I'll shoot first. Whatever. Yes.
• 28:34
  Yeah. Yeah. It's like, I got you. But I need your backup just in case.
• 28:39
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Exactly. And then in the instant that you're not there, and, you know, and that they may have the boldness to go out on their own, It's like, yeah, you wanna equip all your all the people you care and love. You know? So you wanna equip them to, you know, to have that confidence to go out as well.
• 28:53
  I totally agree. And I think that, like, going back to my brother, my brother has done such a great job to make sure that I know that I'm equipped and can walk into the field, alone. Be sometimes it is. Especially walking in the dark to your stand, like, that is scary. You're going to scout a new piece.
• 29:10
  Like, whether it's actually in the dark or the light. It can be a scary thing. Like, you're walking in uncharted territory. Also, confidence. Like, confidence going into it, but, like, with the correct tools, with the correct training, like, it does make the world of a difference.
• 29:23
  Like, our mind our mind can be our worst enemy. And when we go into, you know, a situation fearful or insecure about it, I mean, that could be just as bad as the obstacle in front of us. Yes. Yes. Well, let's take
• 29:37
  Julia Stallings: a quick break and listen to our sponsors. But when we get back, I wanna talk about next steps of how to, like, step by step prepare yourself on what you should do to start caring in the field. So let's listen to them.
• 29:57
  VO: Stay tuned to the Ducks Unlimited Podcast sponsored by Purina Pro Plan and Bird Dog Whiskey after these messages.
• 30:14
  Julia Stallings: And we're back. Okay. I know we mentioned what are the next steps if you wanna start carrying in the field while you're hunting or carrying in everyday life. Right? What do those steps look like?
• 30:25
  And, Andre, I'm gonna let you just take it away on this one. Like, what does those next steps look like for you?
• 30:31
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Awesome. Well, I would say find a person in your life that can help mentor you out in the field, or on the range, wherever it is, but to be able to mentor you. A lot of people around me, you know, they have multiple pistols that you can go out like that. They can take me to go and shoot.
• 30:46
  So it's not just like, I'm gonna go buy one because I saw it online. It's no go shoot some firearms, see which one you like the best, and go from there. And if you don't have a person in your life, then reach out to Julie and I because we will help you, and we'll take you along because I I'm pretty sure we both have an arsenal at home. So I would say, number one, go and go and try different firearms. And then number two, when you go and purchase a firearm and you have your license and you know your state regulations and you know where you're headed, and the land you're on, it's it's the prac so so, yeah, legal legal, so be legal.
• 31:19
  Julia Stallings: Yes. Yeah. Do you
• 31:20
  Audrey Wikan: wanna make
• 31:20
  Julia Stallings: sure you're
• 31:20
  Audrey Wikan: doing things right? Yes. So you're legal. You have purr you practiced. You're legal.
• 31:25
  You've purchased a firearm. Now it's talking about, yeah, like, how how are you comfortably caring? And then when you draw practice drawing. I know Julia and I, we've talked about it's when you're out in the field and so many people care. Yeah.
• 31:36
  Have you drawn out there? Like, have you taken your gun out of your holster? And then number two, are you are are you carrying with a a bull in the chamber, or are you not? Yes. And so that that's a big and, again, that's personal preference.
• 31:52
  I wouldn't say there's a right or wrong way to do it. And having a holster, that's also a second safety. And so I know a lot of guns, when you when you drop there's safety built into some. So I would oh, I guess for for some beginners, so some pistols, they actually have a button safety. And then other pistols do not.
• 32:09
  So, again, that's that is a personal that is a personal preference. And so I personally, I carry a gun that does not have a safety button on it. But as a safety, I would say built in. When I drop that firearm, it is not gonna go off. It is only when you pull the trigger fully that the firearm is gonna go off when you get behind that wall.
• 32:29
  And then number two, my holster that I carry, it it protects the trigger. And so there's there's two now. There's two safety precautions, when I'm when I'm in the field if I do carry one in
• 32:40
  Julia Stallings: the chamber. Yes. I love that. I mean, I'm glad you brought up the point. I mean, two points.
• 32:45
  Let's just break them down. Yeah. One, you actually train with the holster you're using. Because a lot of people, they're like, oh, this is my everyday carry holster, and I'm just gonna go out into the hunting field. Right?
• 32:55
  Wherever I might be, and I'm gonna use this new holster that, you know, I got from Christmas. I've never even draw it from it. Oh, that's good. That's not a good idea. We probably should not do that because you're probably gonna shoot your foot if something ever happens because you're like, you're not used to it, or you're gonna flag the wrong person.
• 33:14
  Right? And you never wanna do that. We wanna have safety wherever we're at. And to how you brought up, okay. Do you have one in the chamber?
• 33:21
  I've seen it so many times where people are like, I didn't even know I had one in the chamber. And that goes from all ways of hunting. Like, in your shotgun, in your rifle, in your everyday carrier, your what you're packing in the field. Like, know what you have on you and know where it's at and know what, you know, what you're gonna do. You know?
• 33:39
  Obviously, treat every firearm like it's loaded. Yes. Make sure if it is loaded, you actually know it's loaded. I mean, absolutely. Yes.
• 33:49
  With the safety aspect because you never wanna get into your a situation where you're like, okay. I'm in danger. I actually need to use this. I I you know? You hit click, and you're like, well, what do I
• 34:00
  Audrey Wikan: do now? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
• 34:01
  Good words of wisdom. I think, yeah, you bring up an awesome, awesome point that we touched on a little earlier too of practicing with what you're carrying, whether it's the holster, whether it's the firearm. So I currently I actually have a red dot on my pistol. And it's crazy how different I shoot with mine versus my brother's gun who does not have a red dot on it. Personal preference, I love being able to draw up and have the red dot.
• 34:24
  My brother does not like it. And, it's like we're just two different people who are gonna shoot a little bit differently and have different preferences. But if I were to always practice on his gun and his iron sights, when I pull up my gun with the red dot, it's not going to be as natural. It's not gonna be as easy. Or if I yeah.
• 34:41
  If I'm practicing with his holster, and I go with mine, it is just a little bit different. And so, yeah, that I mean, that's a huge, huge, tidbit of advice is, yeah, practice with what you're carrying. Yes. Yeah. Honestly, you know, it's so funny.
• 34:54
  That's like with any gun too. Like, even when I'm out in the field, I was just in California this past week, duck hunting, and I, one morning, was like, okay. Let me try a different gun. I'd I'd flown with my firearm, and it was we can even touch on that, like flying with firearms, having TSA locks, making sure that all of that is good too. But anyways, I I flew with my firearm, something that I'm very comfortable shooting, and I went and shot an you know, for an afternoon hunt, my friend's firearm.
• 35:22
  And I it's so funny. I'm like, golly. Like, I was not shooting as good with that shotgun as my own personal one. I mean, so, again, it's like practice with what you're gonna go bring
• 35:32
  Julia Stallings: in the field. Oh, absolutely. Abs I mean, yeah. And let's hit on let's hit on actually traveling with your firearm because I think that's so important. People, you know, they leave at home because, oh, I'm gonna take a flight, and I don't know how to like, this looks a little scary.
• 35:46
  This looks a little nerve racking. What if they turn me away? And I think it's actually so much easier than people make it out to be. I mean, honestly, checking your bag is the hardest part because most of time they're like, what's that? I'm like, oh, it's a firearm.
• 36:00
  And they're like, like, an actual one? And I'm like, yep. Based on your role, this is how we we put it in the box for you.
• 36:06
  Audrey Wikan: Yes.
• 36:07
  Julia Stallings: And I think we should talk about that. So let's just dive on into that. I mean, you've flown with a firearm. I've definitely flown with a firearm. You know, it's not that scary.
• 36:17
  What are some recommendations for people or I guess we should just go over the process. Let's just step by step go over the process. You bring your firearm in the box. Right?
• 36:25
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Absolutely. And this also yeah. This this goes with bows too. And so I've been traveling over the last couple years.
• 36:32
  You know, I used to only hunt in the state of Florida. And over the last couple, like, years, I've been expanding and having to fly, whether it was my bow or my shotgun or my everyday carry. Number one is having finding an awesome case that fits your your firearm or your bow. For my shotgun recently, I've actually switched over to a Negrini case. And what I love about yes.
• 36:53
  What I love about those is it actually comes with TSA approved locks built in. I'm like, you can't mess that up. It's literally your case has the locks. And so what happens is and, you know, again, I just flew recently with my gun. All I had to do is I walk up to a a special counter at the airport.
• 37:12
  They have me open my case, and they put a piece of paper saying I forgot. It says something about, like, TSA checked or something like that.
• 37:21
  Julia Stallings: TSA little check. You just do a signature, and you do your sign date.
• 37:24
  Audrey Wikan: Yep. Put it in there.
• 37:25
  Julia Stallings: Put it
• 37:25
  Audrey Wikan: right in. Close it up. Lock lock it up. Sometimes at some airports, they they put it on the, I guess, the carousel right behind them. And then other times, they have you walk with it to a separate carousel to make sure it gets safely into your airplane.
• 37:41
  You know, a hack, I have been putting an AirTag in all of my luggage recently, especially, my my gun cases because I hear so many horror stories. And the only scary part is you have no control over this is what other people do. And so I've heard horror stories of your gun somehow getting lost. How? I I could I could not possibly tell you, but now I keep an air tag in my case.
• 38:05
  So that protects that. And then, yeah, when you, when you land, sometimes that your gun case will come out on the main carousel, which is a little scary. I'm like, oh gosh. And then sometimes, you know, a representative will come out with your gun case. And so and I've never had a problem.
• 38:20
  I've flown so many times with my gun. And, again, it was at first, I was like, oh gosh. Am I gonna mess something up? Just arrive to the airport a little early. Go and ask the questions.
• 38:29
  And then, yeah, do your research online. But when you have especially, yeah, when companies make it so easy, when it comes with, you know, TSA approved locks right on the case.
• 38:39
  Julia Stallings: Oh, yeah. Oh, I love negrini cases because, one, they have, like, the big long cases where you can put shotguns, rifles, and whatever you need into it, but they also make smaller cases, which I have a small case. It looks literally like a violin case with, like, a skinny violin case or a flute case. And I put my jacket in there. I can break it down, put that in there.
• 38:58
  And then I also put my you know, obviously, my kids feel carry, like, stick in there too. But I like how you brought, you know, that mention of air attacks. And my little hack for that is because sometimes they make you take all the ammunition out and put it in a separate box, and that's something to note is, like, you have to put it in a separate box. Or sometimes if you have a, like, a good check-in agent, depending on what airline you fly, they will allow you to have it in the magazine because it's contained. Right?
• 39:25
  Yep. You can't just be rolling around. I've actually put the AirTag in the magazine, kinda just stuck it in there, and put it, like, in
• 39:32
  Audrey Wikan: the gun. That way, like
• 39:33
  Julia Stallings: so if somebody was gonna take my bag, you know, they'll probably try to open it and just grab the gun at first. But I got an air tag in there. I can see it for a little bit until they try to look.
• 39:42
  Audrey Wikan: Oh my gosh. So smart. I've never thought about that. You know what? I actually speaking of traveling with ammo, and so what I've learned ex on this past trip, I was flying, with some of my Migra shotgun shells, and I put it so they said as long as you have it in the original box or contained, like you were mentioning Mhmm.
• 40:00
  I actually put my ammo just in my normal checked bag. And I Yeah. And, you know, put it on the carousel. And so that was also because I was I was I didn't know. I was like, oh gosh.
• 40:09
  What do what do I do in this situation? And, again, it's how easy it is. As long as you know the rules, like, yeah, it is so easy. Especially too, like, once you do it for the first time, you're like, oh, yeah. I've got this going forward.
• 40:21
  Julia Stallings: Yes. Yes. Yes. I mean, in to note on that for ammo, I've ammo's picky because I used to, you know, obviously do that all the time. I usually put only five boxes.
• 40:32
  That was the limit. But I have heard people. I have heard stories. Have not tried this, but you can actually take the flat, and as long as it's under 50 pounds, I have heard stories people doing that. Someone needs to fact check me and see if that's accurate.
• 40:47
  Okay. I have heard people because, I mean, duck netting, I usually just try to, like, do a flat or I'll ship a flat there. Yep. And then I'll bring whatever's left over, you know, with me. Yeah.
• 40:58
  I've never had a problem. We kinda divvy it out. You know? Divvy all in the bags.
• 41:02
  Audrey Wikan: That's so good to know. When I was doing, yeah, when I was doing a little extra research this past week, I guess I heard that some airlines, treat it a little bit differently. And when I, I believe oh gosh. I think I was flying United this last time. And they said as long as it's under the ammo's under 11 pounds, and they didn't it's so funny.
• 41:21
  They didn't even go and check how much the ammo weighed. And so but we made sure. So, yeah, we had only brought a few boxes as well, just to be safe. And then we divvied it up between the suitcases, which made it nice.
• 41:32
  Julia Stallings: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because it does get heavy. I'm I'm gonna be, like, completely honest.
• 41:36
  It does get heavy. It, like, ruins
• 41:37
  Audrey Wikan: your nice. Mhmm. Yes. Yeah. And then you're like, oh gosh.
• 41:41
  Now I have no poundage, for my waiters and all my camo, etcetera, my boots. I'm like, oh gosh. And how expensive it it is to add. It's like if if you even have, like, a pound over, it's like an extra $100. I was like, oh my word.
• 41:57
  Julia Stallings: Oh my gosh. So a trick to that that I have learned that I think everyone would appreciate because, you know, women here, is I've taken the foam out of my big long case. So I've only had the foam, or I'll have a hard case depending. I'll put a case, like a Negrini case and a big long case.
• 42:13
  Audrey Wikan: Okay.
• 42:13
  Julia Stallings: And then I'll put my hunting stuff on top. Like, just take out the foam on each piece, put a case in a big long case so it has the TSA locks. And then I put my clothes I used to pack all my clothes. So when they're going through my gun, they're, like, taking out my clothes, and I obviously had another suitcase. Right?
• 42:30
  And they're like Yeah. What's this? I only go. I'm like, I'm just a woman. You know?
• 42:33
  We pack heavy.
• 42:34
  Audrey Wikan: That is hilarious. Okay. That is another life hack. I need a I need a lock in
• 42:39
  Julia Stallings: with a brag and then remember for later. Yeah. Do that. And then what you can do also if you're just wanting to only check, you know, your gun or your case is, like, when you put your shotgun in there or you put, you know, rifle or pistol in there, you have your case, and then you can just backpack the rest, put all your, like, shampoo and, like, all your bug spray and stuff. You just put it in that bag.
• 43:02
  They never complain. They're like, it's never, oh, it just only needs to be a shotgun or only needs to be a rifle. Interesting. Toss everything. Yeah.
• 43:10
  Because what they'll do is they'll go back. Right? When they check your bag for those locks, they're actually opening it up and, like, scanning it. Mhmm. And they're making sure everything's, like, okay.
• 43:20
  Right? Doesn't flag the system. And sometimes they'll go through it, and then they're just putting it back. So what I do is I always ask if I could be there because I'm like, oh, I have clothes, and everything has to be situated to go right. I'm like, you don't I was like, that airline doesn't wanna pay for the expense if something breaks.
• 43:37
  No. That is so
• 43:39
  Audrey Wikan: funny. Wow. That's awesome.
• 43:42
  Julia Stallings: Yeah. I know. I I think that has helped me so much of, like, okay. I can pack boots or pack, you know, like you said, your waiters or your muck boots. But I will be honest, completely honest, I went turkey hunting because I had these giant muck boots because it was, like, so nasty out.
• 43:58
  I walked on the plane in my muck boots with my turkey with my turkey in a bag. Oh, god. And they were like, is that real? I'm like, yeah. It's real.
• 44:10
  Is it alive? I'm like, no.
• 44:12
  Audrey Wikan: No? It's not. Oh, that is funny. Gosh. Don't worry.
• 44:16
  Julia Stallings: I had, like, little freezer ice bags. I was like, okay. We just have to make it on our flight. And if we can make this our flight, we can make our way home.
• 44:23
  Audrey Wikan: You're golden. Yeah. And, oh my gosh, I speaking of, like, even too, like, you packing and how you just packed, that is I mean, this is this conversation alone, like, you just taught me something. It is such a gift to have other people in the outdoors that you can learn from. And when we just, like, talk and we share stories and how we do this and that, like, you realize, yeah, other people have so much knowledge.
• 44:43
  And that, you know you know and so, yeah, again, just a gift of community in the outdoors. And, again, I've I've met so many people who are just willing to teach. I think, again, it's it's scary to think, oh my gosh. They know so much more than me. I'm scared to ask them this this question.
• 45:00
  No question is dumb, especially when it comes to safety, how we travel, how we're prepared. So, yeah, again, a gift of community for sure.
• 45:08
  Julia Stallings: No. Yes. Absolutely. And I feel like it's good to learn from each other. Like, learn from the mistakes.
• 45:12
  Like Yes. I think it's very important to learn now versus learn in the moment. Like, I'd rather have a conversation and learn that way and be like, oh, man. I was a little dumb for asking that question in the back of my mind. But then Yeah.
• 45:25
  I'm like, woah. I avoided, like, a big mess up. So Yes. I think it's very, like, very well to, like, communicate with your peers, communicate with your friends. Yeah.
• 45:33
  Communicate with the people who make you feel nervous.
• 45:35
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. And yeah. And and find a mentor in the outdoors. And I would say, like, in any aspect of life. You know?
• 45:41
  Like, even even the Bible, it's like, find somebody who can disciple you, you know, in the word. Find somebody who can mentor you in the outdoors. Find somebody, you know, maybe somebody higher up in your profession that you can learn from. It's like, yeah, it all goes back to that. Like, again, again, us too, like, we're young.
• 45:57
  Like, there's so many people who have been in the woods for, you know, twenty years, you know, longer than us. And I'm like, every year I learn so much. And I'm like, somebody who's, you know, twice our age, how much knowledge they have to share.
• 46:10
  Julia Stallings: That's exactly right. I and I love how you brought that up when it was like this going over the steps of, okay. I wanna start carrying in the outdoors. You know, I wanna carry it for, you know, everyday carry, but I also wanna carry when I'm hunting. What are those next steps looking like?
• 46:23
  What should I start with first? And I love how you did bring up, okay. One, you need a mentor. I think it's so good to have a mentor at the top of your priority list because, one, they're gonna give you what you need to know. They're gonna tell you about the failures.
• 46:37
  You can laugh about them. And then three, you're gonna learn together because some things they never thought of, you're gonna teach them and vice versa. Yes. And I think it's so key to hone like, make that your first step, and then go through the next, you know, five, ten steps, whatever steps you need. But, hey.
• 46:54
  This is my first and foremost. Like, first step, first priority, let's get a mentor, and then let's accomplish our goal. Yeah.
• 47:01
  Audrey Wikan: I think it's good.
• 47:02
  Julia Stallings: It helps that safety. It helps being that confidence. Those are things you look for, and
• 47:06
  Audrey Wikan: that's the thing you need. Yes. And these mentors, like, I think about too, like, they might not be somebody you know or know well. There's so many women firearm instructors in this day that it's like, just search it. Again, like, whether it's on Instagram, on Facebook, or go put it in a Facebook group saying, hey.
• 47:24
  I'm in Jacksonville, Florida, and I'm looking for a woman firearm instructor. I actually just ran into one. I was out, at a clay shoot tournament for one of my clients, and she was asking me. She was like, well, what do you do? And I was like, what do you do?
• 47:36
  And she said, I'm a firearm instructor here in Jacksonville. I'm like, oh my gosh. Be so again, so many of my girlfriends, they're looking to learn. And, yeah, and if I'm not in town, if my family's not in town, you know, to take them out, it's like, else can step up and be there? And there's, again, there's so many resources.
• 47:54
  And, yeah, and it's like, yeah, you might be more comfortable, shooting with a woman and learning from a woman who's, you know, softer and and and whatnot. And so yeah. And so, yeah, that's a big encouragement too. Your mentor might
• 48:05
  Julia Stallings: not be somebody, you know well. Yeah. Or somebody like you know now. Like, maybe you reach out. You take that first step.
• 48:11
  I know, like, I did that when I first started shooting. I reached out to this girl who was like, I have no idea what I'm doing. I know shotguns. I know nothing about pistols. And everything I try on fits awful.
• 48:23
  Like, how am I supposed to carry this in my waistline when it just does not work for me? It makes me feel fat. And she was like, you need this, girlfriend. Like, this is how we like, you can conceal it here, and it's gonna make you like, when you sit down, it's not gonna create that bulge. And I'm like, why didn't someone tell me this?
• 48:40
  Audrey Wikan: Exactly. Gosh. And, again, it's like taking that first step of boldness and just asking. Yes. So many people wanna just, yeah, take you
• 48:48
  Julia Stallings: alongside them and help you. Yes. Yes. Okay. So is there any, like, firearm, you know, calibers for concealed carry while you're hunting that you would recommend?
• 48:58
  I know 10 millimeter is a big talk right now, but what's your I mean, for me, I would I still stick with my nine. What's your thoughts? I agree. I stick with
• 49:06
  Audrey Wikan: my nine as well. I know, again, a lot too, a lot of women, they wanna reach for their three eighty, and go and buy a three eighty. I always say, I think a nine, a nine millimeter is just an all around great caliber. It's a great gun. It comes in so many options.
• 49:21
  I'm a Siggirl myself, and so having my Siggirl, just love did you say you're a Glock girl?
• 49:28
  Julia Stallings: No. I'm a you know, I used to be a Glock girl, but I had switched to the dark side. I have gone to my Sig Magro, and I never looked back. I was like, oh my gosh. I love this thing.
• 49:38
  It fits so great to my hand. Yep. My hand doesn't cramp. Exactly. I I do have a I do have a red dot on there.
• 49:45
  Actually, I have a green dot, whatever you call that. A green
• 49:47
  Audrey Wikan: dot. Yeah. Do you have the sig red or the green dot? Do you have a sig, or do you have, like, a hollow sun? A I
• 49:53
  Julia Stallings: have a hollow sun. Okay. I have a hollow sun, and I, you know, I always call it the donut. I have the donut, not the dot, because I have astigmatism, so I, like, see two dots. Oh, yeah.
• 50:02
  So I like the circle because it gives me a little bit more reference point because my eyes are terrible.
• 50:09
  Audrey Wikan: Oh gosh. See, again, like, talks about personal preference. So yeah. So my SIG, I mentioned earlier, it's an XL. It's a ZEV, so it just has an upgraded slide and trigger.
• 50:17
  But I actually had the slide milled out to put a Trijicon red dot on it. When we originally, when I put a plate and then the Trijicon red dot, it sat too high. I was not comfortable shooting. So I had a custom, and I had a not that everybody needs to do this, but Trijicon actually, I love Trijicon because it has a bible verse. I don't know if you knew this.
• 50:39
  Trijicon has a bible verse on every single one, of their pieces. And so my gun, now I can carry with, yeah, a bible verse on the side of my red dot. So which is so awesome.
• 50:51
  Julia Stallings: I did not know that. That is actually one wait. Wonderful to know. Take me a step back. Like, ugh.
• 50:59
  You you blew my mind today.
• 51:00
  Audrey Wikan: Just blew so special. It is so special. And so that was a big thing. And I was like, I don't care how much money it cost to mill out, you know, my slides and put the TrinchCon on it. And, like, TrinchCon is just it's such a well known brand.
• 51:12
  And so, yeah, I reached for that one, and I always say, everybody should carry a TricoN.
• 51:17
  Julia Stallings: Oh, yeah. I love it. I love it. Yeah. No.
• 51:20
  I think that's good. So nine is your go to, and that's kinda I mean, I recommend that. I feel like if you have something else, just, you know, know your ammo, know how to sort that. And Yeah. Obviously, you know, sometimes with those bigger calibers, it's gonna be a little bit more heavy.
• 51:34
  Can you carry more? Gotta, like, weigh that in pros and cons. Yeah. But yeah. No.
• 51:39
  And I know you brought up being a semiautomatic with your, you know, Carrie. I feel like it's you know, sometimes people wanna go if they're a girl, they're gonna put, like you said, small revolver little. And it's like Yeah. No. That is a recipe for disaster.
• 51:57
  Yes.
• 51:57
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. I totally agree. I totally agree. And so, yeah, finding something that, yeah, really fits everybody. And so, yeah, I love my nine.
• 52:06
  Again, it has a little bit longer of a slide, and I love that. It makes me it allows me to shoot better. It takes more of the recoil. Yeah. I love it.
• 52:14
  It fits my hand perfectly. Not a small hands. I mean, I'm five three. And, yeah, I'm not I'm not a monstrosity of a woman, so having small hands, yeah, it it it fits better, or or it fits great. I think that a lot of people are like, well, I'm small.
• 52:28
  I don't think I can carry that. I promise you you can.
• 52:31
  Julia Stallings: You know, I I mean, I I agree. I agree. A lot of people do wanna go the three eighty route, and they're like, oh, I need it because I'm a woman. And I'm like, oh, I'll bag that train up. You actually might like the nine just a little bit more.
• 52:44
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. Yes. Yes. Exactly.
• 52:46
  Julia Stallings: Totally great. Goodness. I love that. I love that. I wish I had, like, a list of, like, okay.
• 52:51
  These are all everyone everyone's using right now for setup because I feel like that's, like, so helpful for so many different, you know, women, we have different body types. Yes. And things fit so different. I know, like like I just mentioned, it's so great to have, you know, the fanny packs right now because you can use those when you everyday carry. You can use those when you're hunting.
• 53:10
  I love the backpack. I do have a Vertex backpack. And like you said, it is awesome. I love having the Velcro Yes. Where you can put, like, any kind of holster in it where you're like, okay.
• 53:20
  If I'm, like, hunting, I just have to unzip it, flip it, and then I can, like, draw. Like, this is it. And then most of the time, I just keep it unzipped. I'm like, no. There you go.
• 53:30
  Just me. Like Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This close, we have a problem.
• 53:33
  Yep.
• 53:34
  Audrey Wikan: And and too, like, for women, like, I haven't personally used it, but the holster that can go around your thigh. So if you're wearing a dress, there's also leggings. So for the runners and people who work out, there's leggings that where you can put your holster. And, again, there's just so many opportunities in this day and age for us to be able to comfortably carry in a way that feels comfortable to us. Because, again, everybody has personal preference.
• 53:58
  And so yeah. I mean, again, that is such a gift. It's such a gift. Yeah. And too, like, with women, like, it is.
• 54:04
  Like, over the last couple generations or generation, really, where women are taking responsibility for ourself now, not just relying on others. And so, yeah, I'm so proud of, yeah, all the women who are already paving the way because there's so many great examples out there, and there's more and more every single day.
• 54:21
  Julia Stallings: Oh, I I cannot agree more. I think it's amazing. I think what we're doing right now, we're going in the right direction, and we have been, you know, moving milestones. Milestones. I mean, I look back, like, only five years ago, and I was like, oh my goodness.
• 54:35
  What we have now is definitely not what we had five years ago, and we've come so far in five years. I cannot wait to see the next ten, the next twenty, thirty. Yeah. I mean, it's amazing. I mean, I remember when Sick launched Rose, and that wasn't that long ago.
• 54:50
  And I'm like No. Yeah. You made a gun for us. They made something crazy.
• 54:55
  Audrey Wikan: You know what's so crazy? Have they discontinued that now? I know that Lina had left. No. Yes.
• 55:00
  They haven't discontinued it?
• 55:02
  Julia Stallings: I don't think they discontinued it. Okay. Obviously, there's gonna be one person in our viewers that are just gonna be, like, fact checking us. I don't think I don't think they discontinued it. I think what they did is obviously, they still have it going.
• 55:18
  I know they had these academies where Alina would go teach. And I think those were, like, so amazing opportune like, amazing opportunities where you could actually learn learn from one of the best, the great. Like Yeah. The OG of all OGs. And she's so relatable.
• 55:33
  You know? Like, Lena's just an amazing instructor. Yeah. But I think they're gonna have to I don't know what they're gonna do with those opportunities, but hopefully, you know, hopefully, they continue them. Hopefully, they find another person.
• 55:47
  Maybe like Lina has somebody that she's like, oh, this is your girl. Maybe she'll pass the torch. I don't know.
• 55:52
  Audrey Wikan: That's so true. But speaking of the rose, oh my gosh. That was always on my list, and I never purchased one. But if anybody's out there and they need to get me a present one day, that is on my list. That has been on my list for years, I mean, since it came out, and I just had never pulled the trigger on buying one.
• 56:08
  So Yes. And they're guns.
• 56:11
  Julia Stallings: They are. They are. And you know what? There's one, you know, everyday carry. If you're gonna use it, you know, when you're hunting, I definitely wanna mention this one because a lot of people, especially women, we have a hard time, you know, racking the slide.
• 56:25
  Like, I know, pulling back. And, you know, Smith and Wesson makes an easy shield. Yes. Have you ever tried
• 56:32
  Audrey Wikan: that one? Yes. I have. And, yes, that was one of when I was working in the gun industry behind the counter, that is one that women it was so comfortable for women to pull back Because it is it really is hard and not understanding exactly where to grip and be able to rack your gun. It is hard.
• 56:47
  Mhmm. And so that is a great point you bring up, the easy the easy shield is an awesome, awesome gun.
• 56:52
  Julia Stallings: Yes. No. I I definitely wanted to point that one out there, especially in our talk today because we talked so much about, you know, education and safety and, like, options out there. But if, like, there's people who are looking for, you know, something they can actually use and feel confident, but they're new and they don't have maybe have that forearm strength, that easy shield is a great option. And it comes in nine.
• 57:13
  It comes in $3.80 and 9. I vote for the nine. But Me too. You know? Like, go for the nine.
• 57:19
  Don't even don't need you don't need that three eighty. Less ammo. You know? You can just use well rounded ammo.
• 57:25
  Audrey Wikan: Yes. The whole job. That is a that is a great piece of advice. And definitely, if you're if the people who are listening are not already carrying, that is a great option on a gun to reach for.
• 57:35
  Julia Stallings: Yes. So okay. Wow. I guess we're gonna close it out soon. I mean, it's it's almost time, but I have some rapid fire questions.
• 57:42
  I always do this. I always ask, like, my followers, okay, give me a couple rapid fire questions so I can ask, Audrey. So Yeah. I got you. Awesome.
• 57:52
  I was wondering if you'd be okay if I ask them.
• 57:54
  Audrey Wikan: Okay. Yes. Put me on the spot.
• 57:56
  Julia Stallings: Okay. Yeah. Let's do it. Okay. I know.
• 57:58
  Put you on the spot. Super sorry. No. Okay. I love it.
• 58:03
  Yes. Okay. So if you were hunting, would you use a chest rig or a waistband? Oh, a waistband. Okay.
• 58:09
  A waistband. Bear spray or just pepper spray? Bear spray.
• 58:15
  Audrey Wikan: You know, it's so funny, though. I would say I would when I'm at a or you say when we're on the field, again, I would say my nine mil. My nine mil, is that an option?
• 58:26
  Julia Stallings: Yeah. You're like, I don't want any spray. Spray is fine. Like Yes. Sure.
• 58:30
  We can carry it, but I really want the nine.
• 58:32
  Audrey Wikan: Yes, mommy. Because at the end of the day, if you are to the point that you're using the spray, it has already gone too far. The situation has already whatever it is, it is are already in danger at that point, and it's not I just wanna scare something away. It's either your life or their life, and they have put you in danger. And so I would say, we're not taking the easy route in this situation.
• 58:53
  Julia Stallings: Yeah. Yeah. No. And I agree with that. I feel like, a lot of people would they're like, oh, yeah.
• 58:59
  I have pepper spray. So one caveat to that is you have to be close to the said problem. You know? Like, whether that's an animal, a person, unwanted circumstance, that means you have to be within distance. Yes.
• 59:12
  Because pepper spray, it's not going 40 feet. Right?
• 59:15
  Audrey Wikan: No. It is already up.
• 59:17
  Julia Stallings: Yeah. And I don't I don't wanna be like an arm's reach away. Wanna be a little bit further from that situation.
• 59:24
  Audrey Wikan: So You're right. You know,
• 59:25
  Julia Stallings: the 9 mil is a good choice. It's a good choice. Good choice. Okay. One common carry mistake that you see.
• 59:33
  Audrey Wikan: I think what we mentioned earlier is not knowing if you have one in the chamber or not.
• 59:38
  Julia Stallings: Oh, I think that's such a good one. I mean, it is such a good one. There's so many mistakes that happen by just not knowing what your setup is and what you're doing and what's the goal. Right?
• 59:48
  Audrey Wikan: And not having encouragement with that is choose an option and stick with it. You do not wanna be in a situation where you feel compromised and not know if is there one in the chamber or not because I practice both. Like, stick consistent with either one in
• 1:00:03
  Julia Stallings: the chamber or not. I completely agree. I completely agree, especially whether you're ever decuring, whether you're carrying a gun, you know, in the field, on a hiking trail even. Yep. I feel like we didn't even mention hiking trails because, you know, that's a common thing right now where women are carrying.
• 1:00:18
  They have their rig. They have either a waistband. They have it in the leggings now that you can actually carry in your leggings and run with them. Yeah. I think that's amazing.
• 1:00:27
  But, you know, you have to know what you have, and you have to know the setup that you have and actually train with it. Yes. So yes. Okay. And comfort or accessibility?
• 1:00:39
  Oh, I would say ex oh gosh. Okay. I was gonna say accessibility, but I
• 1:00:45
  Audrey Wikan: take that back. I think I would say comfort because if it's not comfortable, you're not gonna carry. And I would say so comfortable. Comfortable.
• 1:00:52
  Julia Stallings: I think that's, you know, I think that's a point that, you know, in today's society, we're changing that viewpoint. Because back in the day, you know, I had a trainer when I worked at a gun club too. They were like, okay. You have to wear this giant tactical belt. You have to wear this giant holster.
• 1:01:09
  And I'm like, I hate this. Like, as a girl, like, this does not go with my outfit. This doesn't go with my shoes. If I yeah. If I'm coming to work, I can wear this big, bold, you know, giant tactical belt.
• 1:01:22
  This does not work for me outside of
• 1:01:25
  Audrey Wikan: the Exactly. And so then you're not gonna ever wear it. And so, yeah, that's like, I agree. So I would say comfortable things. If not,
• 1:01:30
  Julia Stallings: you're not gonna carry. Yeah. You're not gonna carry. And that's the biggest problem is, like, if you do not feel comfortable, you're never gonna carry. If you do not feel confident, you'll never carry, especially whether that be in everyday life scenarios, out in the field, hiking, hunting in the car Yeah.
• 1:01:46
  Grocery stores, you have to have that confidence and comfort. There's no in between. Absolutely. Agreed. Oh my goodness.
• 1:01:53
  So I'm so glad that you had the opportunity to come on this. I mean, what we covered today could change, you know, the way people hunt, the way people carry, and honestly, maybe save their life. Yeah. So You're so right.
• 1:02:08
  Audrey Wikan: Well, yeah, this has been such
• 1:02:10
  Julia Stallings: a gift for me to be on here with you,
• 1:02:11
  Audrey Wikan: and I'm, yeah, I'm so glad that you'd reached out. And, yeah, if anybody has any questions, please reach out to us. We are yeah. I'm a phone call away. I'm a DM away, and I would love to partner with anybody who is new to this because I I wanted that, and I needed that when I was starting to carry.
• 1:02:28
  And so, yeah, I hope that we can be a gift to so many of you.
• 1:02:33
  Julia Stallings: Audrey, tell them where they can find you so they have those, you know, options.
• 1:02:37
  Audrey Wikan: Yeah. Absolutely. I would save my, I respond quickest on Instagram, which is at Audrey, a u d r e y, underscore wikan, w I k a n. I'm also on TikTok and Facebook, under my name as well, but I would say Instagram is where I interact the most on.
• 1:02:56
  Julia Stallings: Perfect. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Audrey. And, everyone, thank you again for watching ASCEND Podcast. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe.
• 1:03:04
  Send it to your friends and family. I'm your host, Julia Stallings, and I'm encouraging you to follow your story wherever that might take
• 1:03:11
  VO: you. Thank you for listening to the ASCEND podcast. New every week, the conservation driven podcast one week and our adventure video series the next. Watch the ASCEND adventure episodes on the Ducks Unlimited YouTube channel, and be sure to like, share, and subscribe. Opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect those of Ducks Unlimited.
• 1:03:33
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• 1:03:49
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• 1:04:11
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